New Tylenol warning label aimed at reducing accidental overdoses

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Tylenol's new caps will say: "Contains acetaminophen. Always read the label." The new labels, due out in 2013, are in response to accidental overdoses. (Photo: CNN)

New Tylenol warning label aimed at reducing accidental overdoses

Tylenol's new caps will say: "Contains acetaminophen. Always read the label." The new labels, due out in 2013, are in response to accidental overdoses. (Photo: CNN)

Bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol will soon have a new warning on their caps: “Contains acetaminophen. Always read the label.”

The bright red lettering is an effort by Tylenol’s parent company, Johnson & Johnson, to reduce the number of accidental acetaminophen overdoses that occur each year.

“Acetaminophen overdose is one of the most common poisonings worldwide,” according to the National Institutes of Health.

Taking too much of this pain reliever can cause severe liver damage. The Food and Drug Administration sets the maximum limit for adults at 4,000 milligrams per day. One gel tablet of Extra Strength Tylenol contains 500 mg.

People should keep their doctor and pharmacist informed about all the medications they are taking to ensure that they are not consuming more than the daily limit, according to the FDA. They should also avoid taking acetaminophen with alcohol.

“With more than 600 (over the counter) and prescription medications containing acetaminophen on the market, this is an important step because it will help remind consumers to always read the label,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement about the new caps, which will arrive in October.